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Original poster

Cost of Living Crisis

192 replies

TwinklingFairyLights · 09/05/2022 08:39

Is this not having much of an impact yet? I was in central Manchester on Friday and restaurants, pubs and bars were all full. I phoned to book a haircut and my hairdresser is fully booked for 2 weeks. I thought discretionary spending would be reducing by now but I can't see it.

OP posts:
BigWoollyJumpers · 09/05/2022 13:06

woodhill · 09/05/2022 12:30

I don't really understand why the bills have to increase again in October when the energy companies are making such a profit

Perhaps we should all lobby our MPs to stop this

The energy companies are not the oil and gas companies. The energy companies buy from the oil and gas, and as they have to bulk buy in advance, they are already indebted due to the current cap, which will have to rise in October, to keep them in business, as the oil and gas they have bought recently would have been at top rates.

beechhues · 09/05/2022 13:06

It's a weird old situation though despite higher interest rates and forecast to go higher, housing market still hot, market for doing up properties hot too.

Comedycook · 09/05/2022 13:07

I totally understand what you mean op. I went to my local shopping centre at the weekend...it was absolutely packed. I also see mums at the school rocking up in brand new cars...not an especially affluent area either.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Cost of living
the80sweregreat · 09/05/2022 13:07

I admit that where I live I've not seen a drop off in people spending money - yet.
Lots of new houses and flats going up everywhere and all are being sold before they are even finished and they are not that cheap either.
We have a small m and s food hall in town and the lady in front of me spent nearly 150 pounds! I was a bit surprised at that as we have many supermarkets around us too (not too far away either. )
Someone I know who lives in the midlands area went to a large leisure shop where the new caravans and holiday homes all had sold stickers on them and even second hand these are not cheap. They are all selling like hot cakes, the cost of the fuel alone for a tow caravan must be huge and you need a large car as well or maintenance fees for a static one which can be thousands a year.
I'm not saying there isn't a problem with people really struggling to heat or eat , but there are obviously people for whom its business as usual I think.

ChiswickFlo · 09/05/2022 13:07

beechhues · 09/05/2022 13:06

It's a weird old situation though despite higher interest rates and forecast to go higher, housing market still hot, market for doing up properties hot too.

That's what happens when a govt artificially props up the housing bubble Market....

beechhues · 09/05/2022 13:09

Agree @ChiswickFlo I would be the least confident I've been in years on a range of factors but houses going bananas this spring.

the80sweregreat · 09/05/2022 13:10

I've heard that some houses are selling at 25 to 30 k above asking price and I don't live in a flash or particularly affluent area in terms of houses. There is a real mix around.

beechhues · 09/05/2022 13:11

Some folk just won't worry about it until they have to - same here, new builds ferociously snapped up, high bids.

ChiswickFlo · 09/05/2022 13:17

beechhues · 09/05/2022 13:09

Agree @ChiswickFlo I would be the least confident I've been in years on a range of factors but houses going bananas this spring.

I am - honestly - utterly baffled that anyone would choose to move home atm...

Obviously I feel very sorry for those who have to move but the whole SD holiday, Covid-19 madness, fomo has meant many will have bought in haste and will repent at leisure :(

People are already moving back to the cities from their covid coastal/country moves.

There is a 2 bed cottage for sale locally.
Not a great location. Sellers bought it 4 years ago and are asking double what they paid. No improvements/upgrades.

Why? Why do buyers think this is acceptable? Because the govt has artificially pushed up process until they are teetering on the verge of collapse.

It won't sell, but I'm irrationally angry about it! 😬🙄☺️

Another (very pokey) 3 bed cottage near my mum was placed for sale a few weeks ago at £450k and has already been reduced to £395k.

I have zero confidence in the housing market atm.

woodhill · 09/05/2022 13:18

@BigWoollyJumpers

Shell is doing very nicely though

megletthesecond · 09/05/2022 13:20

Another hit will be when everyone on tax credits is moved over to universal credit over the next year or two. Lots of people will be worse off, probably including me.

FabulousKilljoys · 09/05/2022 13:23

Those who couldn't afford it in the first place won't be going to those places anyway, those who are going are likely the kind of posters you see on here who say they can easily absorb the price rises and it won't affect them.

FourTeaFallOut · 09/05/2022 13:24

megletthesecond · 09/05/2022 13:20

Another hit will be when everyone on tax credits is moved over to universal credit over the next year or two. Lots of people will be worse off, probably including me.

They've been saying that for so long now that I don't think they'll ever get to it. I mean, they might but I'd be amazed.

FabulousKilljoys · 09/05/2022 13:25

megletthesecond · 09/05/2022 13:20

Another hit will be when everyone on tax credits is moved over to universal credit over the next year or two. Lots of people will be worse off, probably including me.

I looked into this the other day as I'm on tax credits and wondered if I'd be better on UC and doing the swap over myself. Whilst I'd be slightly better off, I'd also need to ask for an advance payment for the first 5 weeks that it takes to sort the application. They take it back at £81 p/m for a single adult with children. So I'd actually be worse off for ages! Really dreading it when they do actually start moving people across.

BananaBlue · 09/05/2022 13:26

for the second time today I’ve had to turn off LBC.

People phoning in regarding their poverty 😢

It’s a travesty.

BeansOn · 09/05/2022 13:27

FabulousKilljoys · 09/05/2022 13:25

I looked into this the other day as I'm on tax credits and wondered if I'd be better on UC and doing the swap over myself. Whilst I'd be slightly better off, I'd also need to ask for an advance payment for the first 5 weeks that it takes to sort the application. They take it back at £81 p/m for a single adult with children. So I'd actually be worse off for ages! Really dreading it when they do actually start moving people across.

Show quote history

We are much better off but I think that’s because we are both carers I know if dh had stayed part time we would be worse off

ChiswickFlo · 09/05/2022 13:27

megletthesecond · 09/05/2022 13:20

Another hit will be when everyone on tax credits is moved over to universal credit over the next year or two. Lots of people will be worse off, probably including me.

Wow...that name is familiar!
(Fellow ante natal group of september 2008!!) ☺️

BeansOn · 09/05/2022 13:27

We also weren’t able to claim HB on our ctc claim unless we moved over to UC

the80sweregreat · 09/05/2022 13:32

I haven't listened to lbc today , but the one that I remember was the lady who phoned in to James o Brien who was married to teacher with two small children and last year she bought some cheap coats for them all to wear indoors to stay warm. She was also a teacher. She was surprisingly upbeat, but she admitted that it was so hard to manage at times and how difficult it was just living day to day , things such as drying the washing , watching the pennies when shopping , going without and they both worked!
It was heartbreaking.

QforCucumber · 09/05/2022 13:32

I’m still going out this weekend with tickets from 2020, but our meal is now in a bar rather than a fancy restaurant,

Im still going out for the evening with friends in a few weeks, but instead of a £12 each way taxi and £10 a go cocktails, I’ll drive and only spend £15 all night

i got my hair cut on Saturday, and booked in again for 8 weeks time instead of 6

the takeout we usually get every Friday is now the first Friday of the month and we are having a homemade ‘takeaway’ the remainder

the changes are more subtle, but definitely still there.

the80sweregreat · 09/05/2022 13:38

I've given up on takeaways ( it was only ever a treat now and again anyway ) The price is ridiculous. Heating is off. Trying to cut back on the food bills.
I think the autumn and winter will be hard this year especially as the energy bills are going up again and I still haven't had my council tax rebate either yet!

RedWingBoots · 09/05/2022 13:39

woodhill · 09/05/2022 12:30

I don't really understand why the bills have to increase again in October when the energy companies are making such a profit

Perhaps we should all lobby our MPs to stop this

The domestic suppliers aren't making a profit.

The energy generators are.

Some energy companies are just suppliers, other are just generators and others do both.

So with British Gas for example their parent company Centrica is making money but the domestic supplier part isn't.

Commercial customers are being charged loads. This means all sort of retailers from takeaways, supermarkets, warehouses, restaurants, cafes, hairdressers, etc have to do a mixture of cutting back and putting their prices up a bit.

This is also why some companies e.g. banks, marketing companies, accountancy firms are happy for staff to do hybrid working or mostly work from home as it saves them money on office space which includes the cost of utilities.

RedWingBoots · 09/05/2022 13:41

the80sweregreat · 09/05/2022 13:32

I haven't listened to lbc today , but the one that I remember was the lady who phoned in to James o Brien who was married to teacher with two small children and last year she bought some cheap coats for them all to wear indoors to stay warm. She was also a teacher. She was surprisingly upbeat, but she admitted that it was so hard to manage at times and how difficult it was just living day to day , things such as drying the washing , watching the pennies when shopping , going without and they both worked!
It was heartbreaking.

Please don't. It's depressing.

They are all doing an hour or more on people who are only having one or less meals per day.

The majority of the people are working full-time so electricians, nurses, cabin crew, etc though they are now doing stories from people on benefits. They are also talking about hungry children.

megletthesecond · 09/05/2022 13:43

chis yes! I can never properly name change. I did once then started replying to my own thread as I forgot who I was 😳.

ChiswickFlo · 09/05/2022 13:47

megletthesecond · 09/05/2022 13:43

chis yes! I can never properly name change. I did once then started replying to my own thread as I forgot who I was 😳.

☺️